Step-ladder



(No Model.)

J. A. KOCH.

STEP LADDER. N0.'301,726. Patented July 8, 1884.

WITNESSES lNVE'STOR s /am a. #204 ATTORNEYS Fries.

JACOB A. KOCH, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 301,726, dated July 8, 1884.

Application tiled May 15, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB A. Koorr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sandusky, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in StepIadders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 2 is a front view. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the hinge-casting, and Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view.

The object of this invention is to provide a step-ladder which can be readily converted into a straight ladder, when such a change is desired; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of devices, as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the first section of the ladder B the second, andO the third or brace section. The section A is usually made a little longer than the section B; or they may be of the same length. Section A is provided with steps D, which do not extend to the rear or inner edges of the side bars, E, the object being to leave an interval to receive the third or brace section, when folded inward, between the sec- 5 tions A and B. For the same reason the rounds F of section B are placed near the outer edges of the bars G thereof. The casting H is wider than the casting I, so as to re ceive a portion of the latter within its walls when the sections are extended.

The sections A andB are provided, respectively, at their joint ends with castings H and I, which are hinged together at K. These castings are of elongated form, being designed to extend for a distance on the side-bars of the sections, and in order to provide for the" attachment of the round, as the case may be. The castingis made with a lateral opening, L, through which the tenon or end of said 59 Step or round extends into'the side bar. The

abutting or joint ends of the castings are correspondinglybeveled, as shown at m, and the casting H of the stepsection A is formed with an up\v-'ardly-extendii1g braceflange, N, which is made with lateral walls 12, having perforations r, through which the holding-pin 8 passes, extending also through a bearing, t, in the casting I. The brace-section C is not so wide as the section B, between the bars of which it is arranged when the several sections form a straight ladder, being connected thereto by the pins (4. The ends of the bars b of section G are extended beyond the rounds or steps, and are provided with pivots 0, having springs d, whereby they are kept in engagnient with the bars G of the section B, and at the same time arranged for easy disengagement when it is desired to convert the long ladder into a stepladder.

In order to facilitate the application of the brace-section to the section B, the ends of the latter are provided with grooveways e, beveled from their outer ends to the bearings 9 at their inner ends, which engage the ends of the pivot-pins c. \Vhen the sections 0 are in line with sections B, they are held in position by the pins (r and c. \Vhen the pins a are drawn out of their bearings, the section 0 canbe turned, and if the pin s, which secures sections A and B, is withdrawn, the sectionB can be turned downward and braced in position ti) the section A, to form a step-ladder by the brace-section (J, the bars of which are provided with end hooks, h, adapted to engage the loops or pins 2 of the bars of section A. The section (3 is made detachable, so that the straight ladder may be shortened by its removal.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a step-ladder, the combination of the sections A and B, the jointcastings H and I, having the lateral apertures L, the section H, having the stop-flange N, provided with the transverse perforations to engage and register with the perforated walls of the casting I, and the lock-pin s, all adapted to operate sub stantially as specified;

2. The step-ladder consisting of the step- I00 section A, and the second section, 13, having tion made to form a section of the straight lad- IO the joint-castings H and I, constructed and der, substantially as specified. I hinged together, as shown, the brace-section In testimonywhereof I affix my signaturein 0, having rounds or steps, and pivoted near presence of two witnesses.

one end to the section B, having the fasteningl pin near one end, and, at the opposite end a l JACOB K hook to engage bearings of the section A,where- Witnesses: by the ladder may be converted from a step- 0. G. BITTNER,

ladder to a straight ladder, and the brace-sec- 1 S. 0. WHEELER. 

